Richard Hannon in line for rich pay day at Doncaster

Richard Hannon is in line for a lucrative long weekend, sending both Olympic
Glory and Havana Gold to Longchamp’s Prix du Moulin, as well as the unbeaten
Toormore to the National Stakes at The Curragh, but he kicks off with a
chance to clean up in Thursday’s big sales race at Doncaster.

French connection: Justineo scores impressively to earn a trip to Paris for the Prix L'AbbayePhoto: GETTY IMAGES

By HOTSPUR (J A McGrath)

7:18PM BST 11 Sep 2013

Hannon has four runners in the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance £300,000 Two-Year-Old Stakes, which carries a first prize of £175,129, and prize money down to tenth.

The former champion trainer nominated Art Official, Ryan Moore’s mount, as “the big danger to everybody”, now that the ground is on the soft side.

“Coulsty is the obvious one on form, but Art Official will love it now the ground is on the easy side,” said Hannon, who also saddles Malachim Mist and Steventon Star in one of the features on the second day of the Ladbrokes St Leger meeting on Town Moor..

It is rare for most top stables to have two of their best horses clash in a big race – Ballydoyle and Godolphin are the obvious exceptions – but Hannon believes there is sound reasoning for Olympic Glory and Havana Gold meeting in the one-mile Moulin on Sunday.

“They are both Group One winners, they have different owners, and they are both working great. Why shouldn’t they run against each other?” he asked.

Olympic Glory is owned by Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, while Havana Gold is the property of Qatar Racing, involving Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and his brothers, a different branch of the family.

“I’m hoping they get a bit of rain over there at Longchamp. They both have good chances, but rain would suit Olympic Glory,” the trainer said.

The other major project for the Hannon squadron this weekend is Toormore’s crack at the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.

The recent Goodwood winner has also been impressive in his work and the trainer has high expectations. Hannon may not collect every major prize at home and abroad this weekend, but he has an excellent opportunity of building significantly on his current total.

The Moulin features on the same card as the three races over the mile and a half course that are loosely called 'Arc Trials,’ a signal that the big Paris raceday is only three weeks hence.

Roger Varian will be looking forward to that meeting with some anticipation following the fine victory of Justineo in yesterday’s Scarborough Stakes at Doncaster. Both jockey William Buick and the trainer believe the four year-old is the right type to have a shot at the Group One five-furlong sprint.

“He’s very fast and versatile about ground,” Varian said. “So we’ll certainly be having a look at the Abbaye. It look the trainer too long to work out his trip. He’s got better in each of his last three runs. I think he’s going the right way now.

“He is only four and some of these sprinters can get quicker and better as they get stronger, and I hope he will be one of them.”

The fourth Clipper Logistics Leger Legends was the feature of the first day, and this year the race saw its closest finish when Willie Supple drove home Dana’s Present to snatch victory by a nose from the tiring Pelmanism, ridden by Gay Kelleway, and Excellent Puck, partnered by Jimmy McCarthy, who dead-heated for second.

Kelleway looked to have the race in safe keeping when Pelmanism dashed two lengths clear inside the final furlong but he quickly became tired and was overhauled on the line.